what sources are you reading up? I've read wade is going bye bye bye out of MIA to who knows where

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C'mon dude... you don't need sources. Think about it.

D-Wade is a grown ass man, with real life issues. He's not gonna up-end his life in pursuit of "winning a ring" he can afford with a couple pennies.

He works in Miami. Sun, beaches, and beautiful women. He's a rich man in this paradise, respected around town with many established contacts.

Wade is not a 12-year-old athlete, where "winning the championship" is the basis of making life-altering decisions.

Life is good in Miami. Other players know that as well. So when this unprecedented free-agent class of 2010 comes next summer, expect some other stars to join Wade in paradise, where they can live good AND compete for a Championship.

D-Wade is a grown ass man, with real life issues. He's not gonna up-end his life in pursuit of "winning a ring" he can afford with a couple pennies.

He works in Miami. Sun, beaches, and beautiful women. He's a rich man in this paradise, respected around town with many established contacts.

Wade is not a 12-year-old athlete, where "winning the championship" is the basis of making life-altering decisions.

Life is good in Miami. Other players know that as well. So when this unprecedented free-agent class of 2010 comes next summer, expect some other stars to join Wade in paradise, where they can live good AND compete for a Championship.

Mr. Wade should take it a little easier this year and heal up. He's been playing too hard while his injured. 26.9ppg, 5.2 rpg, 6.1 apg ...in 38 minutes a game. There's a big free-agent class next year. Bosh or LeBron could follow him to Chicago. Staying in Miami with Riley is offensive to me after what Riley said. I hope he leaves. But I know he's got a complicated life there. Riley certainly feels like he's got him on lock.

While trying to offer an accurate assessment of his team's uneven performance through the first quarter of the season, Heat president Pat Riley started by sizing up Miami biggest star.

Both Dwyane Wade and the team are slightly off pace.

Riley said Wednesday the team plans to address some concerns about Dwyane Wade's conditioning that might be a factor in the guard's drop-off in production from last season.

``He's not there right now,'' Riley said. ``So I get out of my president's chair and into my coaching chair -- I know he'll probably say I'm nitpicking. His efficiency is down. We'll address what it is we can do to help you maintain that lean, mean scoring machine you were a year ago.''

While Wade still ranks among the league's top scorers, his shooting has hovered at a career-low 42.7 percent from the field through a frustratingly inconsistent start.

Miami (12-11) ended a four-game home losing streak with Tuesday's 115-95 victory over Toronto, and continues its six-game homestand Thursday night against Orlando.

Wade has had some of his best games against the instate rival Magic, led by former Heat coach Stan Van Gundy. So it's possible Wade could show flashes of his form from last season, when he led the league in scoring with a career-high 30.2 points after guiding Team USA to gold in the Beijing Olympics.

But the player that worked himself into peak shape last offseason to recover from debilitating shoulder and knee surgeries is not the version of Wade on display now.

According to NBA.com, Wade ranks 13th in player efficiency through 23 games this season. That ranking has him not only behind elite players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, but also Carlos Boozer and David Lee.

During what has been a week of team-wide soul searching after a recent 5-10 stretch, on Wednesday, Wade took inventory of his own performance and conditioning.

Although the Heat's roster lists Wade at 220 pounds, he said recently he has been at 228 pounds for years.

``Sometimes, you start off the season, your legs get heavy, and it's about getting them back under you,'' Wade said. ``I can play a lot better. I pride myself on efficiency. I haven't been as efficient as I've been in the past. I was in game-ready shape [last year], so it was a bit different.''

Coach Erik Spoelstra said the team places a tremendous burden on Wade to have to live up to the standards that he set last season. But Spoelstra said the team's statistical analysis has shown that Wade's number of free-throw attempts, layups and his overall defensive is close to those from last season.

The only difference, Spoelstra said, was that Wade has been inconsistent with his mid-range jumper this season.

``He was simply in freakish shape coming off the Olympics,'' said Spoelstra, drenched in sweat after a one-on-one workout with Wade on Wednesday. ``Guys who reach that level have to live up to that standard of play. Those are the expectations of greatness. He set the bar for himself and for the team.''

But has Wade set himself up for the potential letdown of getting lost in the shadow he cast last season? There have been three games already this season when Wade has not scored at least 20 points. He had only eight such games all of last season.

``I don't look at it as setting myself up,'' said Wade, whose lower-scoring efforts also have been a result of deferring more to teammates. ``Some nights are greater than others. I don't worry about it. If I have five straight where I'm phenomenal, then you don't hear that (criticism). If I have five straight when I'm not, you're going to keep hearing it.''

Riley, who addressed several team issues Wednesday, said Wade was driven by ``the perfect storm'' coming into last season to get into top shape and prove he had was again one of the league's elite players. Wade finished third in MVP voting behind Bryant and James.

``He started training camp and it was like an exhale to him,'' Riley said of Wade's seamless transition from the Olympics. ``He didn't have to do anything. So he went into that season in the best shape of his entire life.''

Entering this season, Riley's expectations were for Wade to maintain that form, for young players Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers to further develop, for veteran Jermaine O'Neal to be more productive and for Miami to contend for the fourth seed in the playoffs.

From Wade's play to the team's overall performance so far, the Heat is a step or two off the intended pace.

``So if Dwyane is down 10 or 15 percent from last year everybody has to look in the mirror about how to make this year better,'' Riley said of Wade, who can opt out of his contract and become a free agent in July. ``There isn't anybody that loves Dwyane more than me, and there isn't anybody that will be more honest with him than me. There isn't anybody in this organization, believe me, walking around on eggshells because of Dwyane.''

You know about the herd mentality....once Bosh comes and DWade resigns and after Beasley's season of flashes of brilliance full of promise....THEY WILL COME. One big free-agent after another. "A chance to play on a championship caliber team in Miami Beach? I'm there." Then it's a wrap.

miami fans are fairweather as hell theyll come through when they got a good squad but the place is empty as hell otherwise..go look at the marlins as a perfect example..its sad. I still think they will burn themselves out in the regular season and come playoff time, when the game slows down ..they will get pounded. I think two years down the line they will be good to go ..but until they can land better role players, Orlando still has their number, and Chicago looks great as well.

miami fans are fairweather as hell theyll come through when they got a good squad but the place is empty as hell otherwise..go look at the marlins as a perfect example..its sad. I still think they will burn themselves out in the regular season and come playoff time, when the game slows down ..they will get pounded. I think two years down the line they will be good to go ..but until they can land better role players, Orlando still has their number, and Chicago looks great as well.

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I feel that. But they just singed Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. Two very good "role players".

Plus the Big 3 have already played 7 NBA seasons. They're vets and know how to pace themselves.

But not only are they veterans - they're only 25-26 years old! Naw they'll be more than ready come playoff time.

They do lack a Center though. But all they really need is a big body to clog the lane on defense. They have all the offensive skill they need already with Bosh in the post and LeBron and Wade on the wing.

So now they have expanded their 4-man roster to 6. These will likely be the 6 best players on the team at the start of the season unless someone past their prime commits to play for one last contract. With that being said, they will need an 8-man roster to win in the playoffs. Their biggest needs are another PG who can shoot and a tough center who isn't scared to bang a little.

Their options at center for guys who might accept the minimum are basically Kurt Thomas, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Etan Thomas, and Tony Battie. Getting 1 or 2 of those 3 should be sufficient. They could also add a tough PF coming off an injury looking to stick in the league like Ike Diogu (if they don't like what they see from their second rounders in the summer league). This could give them a potential frontline of Bosh/Big Z/Haslem/Dexter Pittman (Miami's 2nd Rd pick center out of Texas)/Jarvis Varnardo (Miami's 2nd Rd pick PF out of Miss State). That would be a pretty solid, but not great, frontline.

Jerry Stackhouse has already said he would love to play for them on a minimum contract. Couple him with their other second round pick Da'Sean Butler out of WV and you have their wing rotation. Wade/Lebron/Mike Miller/Stackhouse/Butler would possibly be the best wing player rotation ever assembled in this league.

That just leaves the point guard situation. Chalmers will be serviceable. The list of others they could potentially get at the minimum includes Carlos Arroyo, Jason Williams, Jamaal Tinsley, Earl Boykins, and Kevin Ollie. They will likely sign at least one, if not 2, of these guys. Their final roster seems to be shaping up like this (playoff minutes included):

So now they have expanded their 4-man roster to 6. These will likely be the 6 best players on the team at the start of the season unless someone past their prime commits to play for one last contract. With that being said, they will need an 8-man roster to win in the playoffs. Their biggest needs are another PG who can shoot and a tough center who isn't scared to bang a little.

Their options at center for guys who might accept the minimum are basically Kurt Thomas, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Etan Thomas, and Tony Battie. Getting 1 or 2 of those 3 should be sufficient. They could also add a tough PF coming off an injury looking to stick in the league like Ike Diogu (if they don't like what they see from their second rounders in the summer league). This could give them a potential frontline of Bosh/Big Z/Haslem/Dexter Pittman (Miami's 2nd Rd pick center out of Texas)/Jarvis Varnardo (Miami's 2nd Rd pick PF out of Miss State). That would be a pretty solid, but not great, frontline.

Jerry Stackhouse has already said he would love to play for them on a minimum contract. Couple him with their other second round pick Da'Sean Butler out of WV and you have their wing rotation. Wade/Lebron/Mike Miller/Stackhouse/Butler would possibly be the best wing player rotation ever assembled in this league.

That just leaves the point guard situation. Chalmers will be serviceable. The list of others they could potentially get at the minimum includes Carlos Arroyo, Jason Williams, Jamaal Tinsley, Earl Boykins, and Kevin Ollie. They will likely sign at least one, if not 2, of these guys. Their final roster seems to be shaping up like this (playoff minutes included):